Israel Blockades Lebanon

Here is what I love....People complain about Lebanon not disarming Hezbollah, but Israel won't be able to do it so how could Lebanon? Hezbollah would start a war with Lebanon, and would likely win seeing as they have large support from SYria/Iran while Lebanon is left all alone.
 
If an insurgent kills a British soldier in Iraq, the insurgent can be charged with terrorist activity; if a British soldier, returning fire at the insurgent kills a child on the other side of the wall, he goes his merry way. What's your point?
 
The US involvement in the Balkans was actually pretty minimal compared to the European involvement (and quite right too considering it was on Europe's back door). Britain had to drag Clinton along on that one, he was far less hawkish than his successor; lacking a stiff upper lip (and now we know why). The US military is still active in fewer warzones/former warzones than many of the European nations' armed forces so far as I am aware.

You are right, it would be nice to see other people doing things without the US. Although given the US's role in the international arms market that is pretty unlikely. The US has made herself into the superpower she is now and only has herself to blame if countires look to her to play the same international role as the Imperial powers that preceded her.
 
Not if he gets reported and it is deemed wilful neglect by the Court Martial he doesn't. We've had a number of war crimes prosecutions over here.

I agree with you though. There are always dual standards.
 
I think what Israel is doing is appalling and it is bringing shame on itself.
They seem to view the innocent Lebanese who live in the area as legitimate collateral damage in their misguided belief that they can bomb Hezbollah out of existence.
In reality, they are probably helping bolster the Hezbollah & Hamas recruitment lines, whilst causing untold suffering and misery to people who have no part in it.
The people who ordered this to happen should hang their heads in shame.
The people who are carrying out those orders know they are doing wrong, and have given up their souls.
Hezbollah is a despicable terrorist organisation, but Israel slaughtering innocents is not the way to deal with it.
FFS Israel - get real!
The world leaders standing watching this happen (and bankrolling it?) need to get their act together.
If the G8 nations said STOP! they could make it happen.
 
What you're failing to understand, is that every successful attack Hezbollah conducts, also generates an influx of new recruits who want to be like their heroes who are 'defending the faith'. If Israel hits back, Hezbollah gets new recruits. If Israel does nothing, Hezbollah gets new recruits. Either way, Hezbollah gets new recruits. Now the question is, which course of action protects the largest number of Israeli citizens? The one where they just sit there and take it, or the one where they at least reduce Hezbollah's arsenal?
 
Its terrible what is happening in Lebanon but I can understand where the Israelis are coming from. They're surrounded by countries with terrorist factions and have put up with border raids/bombings/kidnappings for years. Its time they take action.

However, Israel could have gone about it in a better way. The civilian death toll is horrendous and as pointed out by many on this thread will probably increase support for Hezbollah & co.

I'm peeved off that Australia's request to Israel to stop bombing until our citizens were evacuated was ignored.
 
Not a surprise at all...in fact I hope a large amount of U.S citizens remain in Lebanon.

If they do, Israel will do their best to avoid killing them which will provide protection to innocent civilians.

Once only citizens of Lebanon are left, Israel won't care who they kill in their attempts to stop Hezbollah.
 
The US peacekeeping force arrives in Lebanon

God bless America

Sorry, couldn't resist it

Hey DC is that you????
 
Probably not anymore than getting six or seven of your Arab-nation buddies to try and help you wipe the Israelis off the planet the very day they became a nation. Or again in 1967. Or again in 1970. Or again in 1973.
 
I think what you meant to say was "a bit like the deal that was going to be made before Hamas kidnapped an Israeli soldier and Hezbollah crossed the border, killed 8 Israelis, and kidnapped 2 more." Right?
 
If all the G8 nations said STOP!, they would get laughed at. They really have no power to do anything.

The only way to forcefully put an end to this nonsense is with embargo around all of the middle east and don't allow any food, weapons, medicines, or anything else in or out until both sides have decided to call it quits. Short of that, it is just talk. But how many are willing to do that to get peace?
 
The British and the French together wouldn't have won the Western Front. If they could have done it, they would have already done it before we got there.
 
No, it's not. How many of those 300-400 'civilians' have been killed because they provide material or other logistical support so that Hezbollah can kidnap Israeli soldiers? What does Israel have to do to ensure its soldiers won't be kidnapped again and Hezbollah will stay on their side of the border? That's the point.
 
Just as the videos that were released for the anniversary of 7/7 were designed to bring in more faithful terrorists because of the success of 7/7. Likewise, 9/11 swelled the numbers of terrorists. As you say, doing nothing won't stop people from joining and taking action is not stopping them. So what will? Perhaps the only way to fight a terrorist is to hurt them in a way that they are truly terrified of?
 
Spending more than the UK on defense doesn't take much, nor does it change the fact that if you and I showed up at the French border with a couple sharp sticks, they'd surrender the country to us. The best French military unit is the foreign legion, primarily because it's composed of people who aren't French.
 
The key here is "willful neglect". There's a difference between collateral damage and the conscious slaughter of civilians. Israel's "indiscriminate" shelling of Lebanon is nothing of the sort. They're using counter-battery radar to return fire to rocket launch sites. The fact that Hezbollah is setting the rockets up along side 'innocents' homes, or schools, or that hospital, is clearly an attempt by Hezbollah to use those people as shields and/or propoganda. It is Hezbollah's fault children are dead because they are the ones hiding behind women and children while firing rockets at Israli population centers.
 
Where did that picture come from; it's hysterical!

Unfortunately, it's not me. I don't have that many medals. However, I do have larger firearms with higher bullet capacities and my jeep has a grenade machine gun on it.
 
There's actually a good way to reduce the civilian death toll, and that's to invade with large numbers of troops, going house to house, and letting the soldiers visually identify their targets. However, since even talking about that gets everyone all worked up, using terms like 'land grab' etc, the political reality dictates Israel not launch a full on invasion, reducing their options to air strikes, indirect fire, and raids by smaller units. The world-wide outcry from an invasion would be far worse than what your seeing now, in spite of the fact that it would've greatly reduced the amount of colateral damage being complained about now.
 
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